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Canuck Place Children's Hospice

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About

Canuck Place is BC’s pediatric palliative care provider for children with life-threatening illnesses and the families who love them. Our team of physicians, nurses, counsellors, therapists, staff, and volunteers provide medical respite care, pain and symptom management, art, music, and recreation therapy, end-of-life care, grief, loss, and bereavement counselling. All at no cost.

We are here with love, care, and guidance when and where families need us the most. All with a caring community of donors who make it all possible.

Values

At Canuck Place we believe that every life is precious and should be lived to its fullest.

Canuck Place Children’s Hospice first opened its doors in November 1995, to become North America’s first free-standing children’s hospice. We responded to the need for a hospice created specifically for children. Today we have two provincial locations in Vancouver and Abbotsford to deliver Canuck Place care which includes medical respite, pain and symptom management, art, music, and recreation therapy, end-of-life care, and grief, loss, and bereavement counselling. All at no cost to families.

Recognized internationally as leaders in the field of pediatric palliative care, the need for our services has grown exponentially over the years.

Thanks to the dedication of our staff and volunteers, and our extended team of corporate, community and government partners, we are able to make a difference in the lives of more children and families in need throughout BC.

Meeting families where and when they need us the most

Canuck Place’s Enhanced Community Care Program brings responsive specialized care to families around BC where and when they need it.Through this program, the Canuck Place clinical team provides assessment, care planning, pain and symptom management, follow-up support, and end-of-life care. With in-hospital and in-home visits, telephone and video conferencing, and our 24-hour nursing line, families have access to care no matter where they reside.

The first free-standing hospice in North AmericaIn 1988, Vancouver nurse Brenda Eng had a vision to open the first children’s hospice in North America. Upon visiting England’s Helen House, the world’s first children’s hospice, Brenda was inspired to bring a similar vision to British Columbia.

Inspired by Brenda’s vision, others joined her cause. Betty Davies and Lois Youngson developed the original model of care, and George Jarvis was brought in to help rally the community together. Answering the call were The Vancouver Canucks Hockey Club, the Griffiths family, The Vancouver Sun, Variety – The Children’s Charity, Loewen Group, and TELUS, as well as many additional public and private donors.

The City of Vancouver joined the growing vision by leasing Glen Brae Manor, a 16,000 sq ft mansion, to Canuck Place for $1 per year for 50 years. The house was renovated and Canuck Place Children’s Hospice opened its doors on November 30, 1995 to become the first free-standing hospice in North America.

A second hospice - Dave Lede House

In 2009, Canuck Place recognized that we were only reaching 20-25% of BC children and families who need pediatric palliative care. Armed with passion, expertise, and a team of community partners and individuals, we embarked on a quest to open a second hospice in the Fraser Valley. In January 2014, with a donation of $4 million from the Dave Lede Family Foundation, $3 million from the Province of BC, and a further $6 million raised by Canuck Place, a second location was opened: Canuck Place – Dave Lede House in Abbotsford.